Attorney:

Overview

Jo has enjoyed the defense of medical professionals for over 20 years. She represents every type of licensed healthcare professional in claims, civil suits and administrative actions. She actively defends the employees and agents of hospitals in the south in a variety of lawsuits including professional and ordinary negligence, general liability, peer/quality hearings, and premise liability actions. A mainstay of her practice involves defending every kind/type of doctor, nurse, dentists, hygienist, psychologist, chiropractor, eye specialist and therapist in civil suits, peer review actions, and in front of their respective licensing boards. Jo also defends skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers and assisted living facilities. She handles a growing number of breach actions with the Department of Health and Human Services.

Jo is a regular speaker at Risk Management seminars for numerous insurance companies, physician/dental practices, and hospitals. She has performed educational seminars regularly for the American Dental Association, Hinman Dental Society and Georgia Dental Society for the past six years and served on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association for 12 years. She is a member of the Defense Research Institute and the American and Georgia Society of Healthcare Risk Managers. Jo is a partner in Hall Booth Smith's Atlanta office.

Practice Areas

Jo has extensive experience handling cases for long-term care providers including private and state skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. She has been involved in bringing about numerous claims to a successful resolution for the long term care industry.

Jo grew up in a family of dentists and dental providers. She is a co-leader for the dental practice group. She began her medical malpractice defense career specifically defending dentists of all types including general dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, endodontists, periodontists, prosthodontists, pedodontists, orthodontists, and hygienists in civil suits and claim, as well as with issues involving the State Licensing Board of Dentistry. Jo has assisted her clients in resolving Risk Management issues, updating Consent and Medical forms, and with their General Business concerns. She is an annual speaker at Risk Management Seminars for various Insurance Companies. She has teamed up with some esteemed dental experts to present mock trials at a numerous professional organizations. Jo is currently slated to speak at the American Dental Association meeting, several state dental organizations and at the Thomas P. Hinman meeting in Atlanta. Jo has also recently enjoyed teaching Dental Ethics and Risk Management to 2nd and 3rd year dental students at Georgia Regents University College of Dental Medicine.Jo admires the art of dentistry. She has taken the time to learn the medicine so that she can better communicate with her clients and the experts in this field.

Jo brings experience in a wide variety of general liability claims, specifically premise liability. She has trial experience in both state and federal courts, handling cases of all levels of exposure, and involving a wide array of allegations and issues.

Jo represents two premier hospitals in the greater Atlanta area. In so doing, Jo defends all of the hospitals’ employees in alleged professional negligence actions. She also represents the hospitals in peer review matters, general liability claims, and premise liability actions. Jo recently tried a one week medical malpractice action to a verdict for the hospital and its nursing staff.

Jo’s practice is devoted to the representation of surgeons, internists, neurologists, pain medicine physicians, oral surgeons, orthodontists, dentists, eye doctors, chiropractors, and other medical professionals in a variety of professional negligence actions. She has successfully defended several healthcare providers at trial and has successfully represented professionals in Medical and Dental Board actions. She continues to work diligently for these medical professionals to achieve a successful result.

Education

Juris Doctor, 1999, Georgia State University College of Law Bachelor of Arts, 1983, cum laude, Loyola University of Chicago